Show-case.



F. ouuou. SHOW CASE.

APPLICATION FILED AUGJO. 1915- 1 179,444. I Patented Apr. 18, 1916.

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' SHOW CASE. APPLICATION FILED Aueim. 1915.-

14mm Apr. 18, 1916.

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SHOW-CASE.

Application filed August 10, 1915. Serial No. 44,722.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED LOUDON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wilmington, in the county of Will and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Show-Cases, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to show cases designed more particularly for holding and dispensing cigars for sale, and the object of the invention is to provide a show case of this kind which allows the cigars to be taken from the boxes without taking the boxes from the case.

The invention is an improvement over the show case disclosed in Patent No. 1,123,332, dated January 5, 1915, and it consists in a novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In order that the invention may be better understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a cross section of the case; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 44 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a detail in perspective showing a box holder, and Fig. 6 is an elevation of a fragment of the back of the case showing the means for operating the closures of the compartments, one of the operating devices being shown partly broken away.

Referring specifically to the drawings, 10 denotes a cigar display case of the type illustrated in. my former Patent N 0. 1,123,332, hereinbefore referred to, the same having a series of stepped compartments, the top of each of said compartments being a pane 11 of glass set in a suitable frame. The front wall of each compartment is a vertically slidable, glazed'panel 12 which can be dropped to allow access to the compartment. The bottom. and back of each compartment are wooden walls 13 and 14, respectively. The panels 12 slide in front of the walls 14 and have depending guide stems 15 working in guides 16 on said walls. In order to effect a tight closure of the compartments, the top edges of the panels 12 are provided with felt strips 17 which are in contact with the under sides of the panes 11 when the panels 12 are closed. The bottom rail 18 of each panel 12, except the fore- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 18, 1916.

most one, also carries a felt-covered stri 19 which closes the joint between the panel and the rear edge of the pane 11.

The panels 12 are actuated by a series of arms 20, one for each panel, said arms being connected to the lower ends of the stems 15, the latter passing through the bottom walls 13. v The rear ends of the arms are connected to vertically 'slidable strips 21 mounted against the inner face of the rear wall 22 of the case which carries the compartments Thearms 20 are suitably offset, as indlcated at 23, to clear each other and allow vthe stems 15 to be mounted in alinement.

From the top of each strip 21 extends a handle 24' which passes through a vertical slot in the wall 22, there being mounted on the outer face of said wall a metal plate 25 having vertical slots 25 corresponding to the slots of the wall.

The panels 12 are normally held in raised, or closed position by tapes 26 which are wound on spring drums 27 and have their outer ends connected to the arms 20. The spring drums are mounted on the walls 14. The slots 25 have a short lateral branch 28 at the top. Each handle or knob 24 has a lateral finger 29 which may be placed in the branch 28 by a twist of the knob, and when thus positioned, the panels 12 are held in elevated or closed position and prevented from accidentally dropping to open position.

Supporting shelves for the cigar boxes are also provided. Each of these shelves comprises a flat, rectangular skeleton frame 30 having two short upstanding lugs 31 at its front end, and similar lugs 32 at its'rear end. The last mentioned end of the frame also has two depending lugs 33 slightly in advance of the lugs 32. On the wall 14 are mounted two supporting members for the shelf, said members being hollow plates 34 having in front a vertical series of apertures 35. When the shelf is to be hung, the lugs 32 are inserted into a pair of apertures 35, and the shelf is then let down until the lugs 33 seat against the outer faces of the plates 34 to hold the shelf horizontal. The vertical series of apertures allows the shelf to be hung at any desired height according to the height of the cigar box to be supported, the object being to have all the boxes in a compartment at the same height. The intermediate portion of the shelf carries a spring latch 36 having an upturned end 37 between which latter and the lugs 31 the box is held.

Each compartment is also provided with a humidifier comprising the following parts:

=-i In the wall 14: is made an opening over which is secured a perforated plate 38 having an annular flange 39 extending from its rear face and seating in the opening. The flange supports a cylindrical container a0 placed horizontally and open in front, and holding a moistened sponge 41. The rear end of the cylinder has an opening l2 to permit the entry and removal of the sponge.

I claim l. A show case having a series of compartments arranged in stepped relation, the front wall of each compartment being slidable downward into the case to uncover the compartment, operating arms connected to the respective front walls, slides connected to the arms and mounted against the rear wall of the case, said wall having verti cal slots, and operating handles on the slides,

said handles projecting through the aforesaid slots.

2. A show case having a series of compartments arranged in stepped relation, the front wall of each compartment being slidable downward into the case to uncover the compartment, operating arms connected to the respective front walls, slides connected to the arms and mounted against the rear wall of the case, said wall having vertical slots, and operating handles on the slides, said handles projecting through the aforesaid slots, said slots having lateral branches at their upper ends, and the handles having lateral fingers adapted to enter said branches to lock the handles.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRED LOUDON.

lVitnesses BENJAMIN F. HILns, AMBROSE S. HADsALL.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Gommissioner of Hatents, Washington, I). c." 

